Thanks to the EMTs (above) and special education advocates (below) who recently came to my legislative office to talk about issues that are important to them.
Dear Neighbor,
A little over one week remains in the 2019 legislative session and Democrats still are still clinging to their plans to raise taxes by $12 billion, cut nursing homes by $68 million, increase the gas tax by 70 percent and increase health care costs.
At some point, the House Democrats and Gov. Tim Walz are going to have to accept the fact these budget provisions are unacceptable. But, so far, they have refused to come down on those tax increases. Click here for a brief video I posted about this earlier in the week.
This is a good time to remind people that even the governor’s own administration is reporting these proposed tax increases would damage low-income earners the most. Click here for more information on that.
Unless there’s a major breakthrough over the weekend, the pressure will be ratcheted up even more on Monday when we now will be counting down the session in days and hours instead of weeks and months. Time is running short to find agreement on a budget that does not involve $12 billion in tax increases House Democrats and Gov. Tim Walz propose.
The big question is what will happen first, agreement being reached on a new state budget or the completion of a $7.2 million taxpayer boondoggle of a rest stop – complete with Brazilian wood and curved glass – that was reported this week.
As we await any progress on a budget deal, here are wishes for a happy Mother’s Day and good luck in this weekend’s fishing opener. Please be careful on the roads and out on the water.
Sincerely,
Chris